As palliative care physicians, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow have witnessed their fair share of miracles. This, however, rarely means a cure. More often, the miracles that palliative doctors can help cultivate are ones of reconciliation, comfort, and restoration. In this episode, the doctors discuss how they help manage disappointment among their patients and offer them true healing.

Doctors are often trained to focus on the data. Data makes for a strong foundation, but it’s only the first floor. To truly care for a patient, we must look beyond the data—building off of their character, values, history, and goals. As palliative nurse practitioner Barbara Opperwall said, “The story of the patient is their data with a soul.” In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss relational medicine, intensive caring, and empowering patients through understanding their stories.

As hospice and palliative care physicians, we care for patients in difficult situations. Yet, we see a lot of joy in those moments. So, what role can we play in helping to cultivate peace and healing for our patients? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how patient-centered care, active listening, and being present can help patients see through their circumstances and find joy.

Doctors are trained to cure, treat, and fix. So, how do physicians end up in a field of medicine where the objectives are different? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss how they came to work in the area of advanced illnesses and the purpose that they have found being injected into challenging situations and precarious relationships. 

Why should physicians never tell their patients, “There’s nothing more we can do?” As diseases and illnesses progress, the hope for a cure may diminish, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to provide care. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how you can encourage patients and offer opportunities for healing, proving that, usually, there is something you can do.

Uncertainty can cause a lot of suffering, but palliative medicine is meant to alleviate suffering. So, how can physicians work within it’s confines? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow are joined by Dr. Ariel Dempsey as they dive deeper into the discussion on uncertainty in medicine and the challenges and opportunities it provides. They share how, as physicians, you can acknowledge uncertainty, approach it with humility, and choose to take action in spite of it. Listen now at the link below to tap into their insights. 

What motivates doctors’ decision-making beyond evidence, knowledge, and experience? As Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss, our patient's wants and wishes should always be considered. Often, though, doctors make decisions based on fear–fear of litigation, of being wrong, or of missing something, especially when uncertainty is present. In this episode, the doctors share how we can mitigate negative motivators by putting the patient first.

As physicians, we let our experiences and knowledge guide us. Often, this leads to us entering a patient’s room with some assumptions in hand. However, it’s important to remember that people with the same diagnosis can have completely different emotional reactions, and it’s our job to meet them where they are. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss overcoming unconscious bias in palliative medicine by taking the time to understand the patient's perspective and learning about their unique journey.

Psilocybin has had a place in healing for millennia, particularly among ancient civilizations and cultures. While it's had a negative view in some corners of contemporary American society, research into its potential has gained traction and it is slowly finding a place in the mainstream. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow are joined by Prof. Michael DeWilde, who shares his knowledge of the history, uses, and benefits of psilocybin. This has prompted Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow to ask, "Is there a place for psilocybin in palliative medicine and end-of-life care?"

Studies have shown that doctors are less likely to have surgery or be admitted to the ICU in the last six months of their life and are less likely to die in the hospital. So, what do doctors know that their patients don’t? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss some of the systematic failures of our healthcare system and the importance of informed consent. They ask and answer, “How can physicians advise patients based on their unique wants and wishes to give them a higher-quality end-of-life experience?”